


The Blind Shall Lead

by Floral_Murdock



Category: Daredevil (TV), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: As in "if it wasn't in the movie I made it up", Canonical Character Death, Gen, Handwavey Approach to Rogue One Canon, Implied Relationships, Minor Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 13:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9901037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floral_Murdock/pseuds/Floral_Murdock
Summary: Chirrut meets Matt, a boy who is not only strong with the Force, but also has inexplicable sensory abilities. And Matt is also blind. How did he end up in charge of this kid again?





	

13 BBY

“I told you not to mouth off to Stormtroopers, and yet here we are again,” Baze griped as he and Chirrut walked down the hallway towards the living quarters of the Guardians of the Whills. 

“I managed to drop to the ground in time. The Force protected me.” Chirrut sniped back, intentionally reopening the age-old source of bickering material. 

“The Force may be powerful, but I was the one who stunned him.” 

Their argument came to a stop as they entered the healer’s quarters. Altais, the temple healer, would have none of that. 

“I'll be with you in a moment,” Altais called as she shuffled something around towards the back of the room. 

Chirrut heard footsteps, along with the elderly Torgruta woman’s sigh as she took in the sight of them. “Chirrut, are you bleeding again?”

“No, I just fell on my wrist.” 

“Come here, I'll look at it.” 

Soon afterwards, Chirrut's wrist was wrapped in a bandage. “Thanks, Altais,” he said, getting up to leave. 

“Wait --- Chirrut, I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” 

“About what?” 

“You remember how we found that boy on the streets the other day, and took him in?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, he's blind. And there's. . . There's something wrong with him. He's in terrible pain, and I can't figure it out for the life of me. I'm starting to think that it might be psychosomatic. I was wondering if you would talk to him.” 

“I can do that,” Chirrut replied. It was the least he could do for Altais, even if he didn't have much experience with children. Honestly, he wasn't entirely sure what Altais expected him to do with the boy, but he'd try his best. 

“He's in here,” Altais brought him to a small room next to her chambers. “Matt? This is Chirrut.”

Chirrut heard rustling, as if the boy was moving restlessly on the bed. Matt let out quiet noises of pain as he entered the room. 

As soon as Chirrut stepped closer, he was hit by an onslaught of sensation. The harsh rub of rough fabric on skin. The smell of herbs, sweat, and bacta emanating from Altais. And the sounds--- people talking, their footsteps echoing through the halls of the Temple. Other Guardians cooking and working and praying, all as loud as if they were in the room. 

Chirrut stepped back, reeling from the accudental contact with Matt’s mind. The boy was strong with the Force, that much was obvious now that Chirrut had come back to himself somewhat. But that sensation of feeling everything? Chirrut had never heard of the Force manifesting itself like that before. 

No wonder the boy was hurting, if that was how he experienced the world. Chirrut was at a loss for what to say. 

“Hi, I'm Chirrut,” he said, careful to keep his voice low. 

“I'm Matt,” the boy said, sounding as if it pained him to speak. 

“I'm here to try to help you. I don't know what's happening to you, but I do know that you have the Force. I can teach you to use it, and that might help you manage your senses.” 

“I have the Force?” 

“Yes. People who can use the Force can tell when other people can use it.” 

“Can people with the Force read each other’s minds?” Chirrut figured he was talking about what happened a minute ago, when Chirrut had been bombarded by everything that Matt could feel. 

“Not exactly. I couldn't pick up on your thoughts --- most Force-users wouldn't be able to, and I don't think anyone could do it by accident --- but I can feel other people's emotions when they're strong enough, and, apparently, your senses.” 

Matt made a small “oh” noise, as if he hadn't been quite sure how the Force worked. 

“You think you can teach me how to control my senses?” Matt said quietly. 

“I'm pretty sure. The first part of learning how to use the Force is learning to focus and center yourself, and I think that might help you with your senses.”

“That makes sense. When can we start?” 

“I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, is that okay?” 

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Alright, see you then.” Chirrut left the room, thinking about Matt’s senses and how to help the boy. 

*****

“Now empty your mind, and let the Force flow through you. Thoughts will probably enter your mind. Just accept them, and release them into the Force.” 

Matt sat cross-legged on the floor. He let his mind drift, like Chirrut had said, and relaxed his muscles--

Crash! Someone dropped a piece of metal somewhere in the Temple. Matt flinched, his concentration falling away. He tried again. 

Matt felt himself falling into the Force again, slipping into an odd state between consciousness and sleep ---

Outside the Temple, an animal grunted irritably as its rider tried to urge it forward. Matt shifted, which must have caught Chirrut’s attention.

“You're doing well --- you're almost getting there, but then you get distracted.” Chirrut paused, as if considering something. “Maybe instead of trying to block everything out, pick one thing to focus on. A constant sound in the Temple, or something like that.” 

“I'll try that,” Matt let go of himself again, and he felt the Force rushing up to meet him. He let go of concious thought, and let himself drift in the warm energy of the Force. 

When Matt came back to himself, Chirrut was beginning to stir next to him. 

“Did you get it that time?” 

“Yeah, I did.” Matt stood. He felt strangely relaxed, as if the world had gotten a little bit quieter while he meditated. He could still hear anything, if he wanted to, but it seemed much easier to keep his focus here in this room. “I think it worked.” 

“Good. You did a good job. It's still early. Do you want me to take you back to Altais, or take you back with me for a while?”

“Can I go back with you?” Matt asked hesitantly. Even though Chirrut had offered, he wasn't sure if he was actually offering. 

“Sure.” Chirrut led him back through the halls of the Temple, and into a smallish chamber with a stove and a table with two chairs. A large man sat at the table. 

“Hi, I'm Baze. You're Matt?” 

“Yes. Hello.” Matt had heard the man with Chirrut when they went to see Altais. It seemed like they were together a lot. 

“Nice to meet you. Would you like some tea?”

“Um, yes, please.” Baze got up to make tea, and Chirrut sat in his now-empty chair. Matt stood, unsure if he should sit or leave the other chair for Baze.

“There's a chair about two steps to your left and one step in front of you,” Baze said, sitting with Chirrut in the chair across the table. Matt sat down. 

“How was your first lesson?” 

“It went well, I think. I learned how to meditate.” 

“That's good. It's an important skill, especially for a Force-User.” 

“Yes it is. And you did well,” Chirrut said. 

“That reminds me, I saw Areches earlier. She said she wanted to see you and the other Force-Users later.”

“Thanks, I'll go talk to her this afternoon.”

“Can't everyone here channel the Force?” Matt asked. Altais could, Chirrut could, and they'd seemed more surprised by his senses than by his apparent ability to use the Force. 

“No, most of us can't, actually. The only thing we all have in common is that we all believe in the Force, and we've dedicated our lives to guarding the Whills.” Matt had heard, vaguely, of the Whills. He knew that they were the source of the Force, and that the temple was dedicated to protecting them. 

There was a knock at the door, and Chirrut got up to let Altais into the room. 

“Hi, I'm here to pick up Matt.” 

“Goodbye,” Matt said as he left with Altais. 

“Goodbye,” they said together, as Matt and Altais walked down the hallway. 

“How was it?” Altais asked, sounding genuinely interested. 

“It was good,” Matt said, slightly distracted. As he walked away from Chirrut’s chambers, he heard Baze’s deep voice: “Can we keep him?” 

10 BBY

Thousands of heavy footfalls, advancing menacingly on the temple. The chaotic sound of battle: blaster fire, shouts, Guardians falling. The smell of smoke. Eventually, it was silent, except for a few Guardians who were taken prisoner. The Temple was destroyed, only rubble and the scent of fire. 

Matt woke with a start, heart racing. He felt an implacable sense of terror --- it was like a physical weight on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. 

It was probably just a nightmare. It wouldn't be the first time he had woken up like that, chest pounding and unable to breathe. It hadn't happened in a long time, though. 

No, it wasn't, which meant --- no. Matt focused his hearing to confirm it. 

On the outskirts of the city, a fleet of Stormtroopers marched in unison. They were heading in the direction of the Temple. 

Matt bolted upright, and ran into the other room to alert Chirrut and Baze. Chirrut was already beginning to wake. He must have felt the same nameless terror as Matt. 

“It's the Stormtroopers.” 

“How far away?” 

“They're on the outskirts of the city.” Matt fought to keep his voice calm. “They're headed in this direction. 

Baze swore. He may have stopped smuggling long before Matt had met him, but some habits came back to him in tense moments. “I'll go warn the others, and then I'll be back.” Chirrut and Matt were left facing each other. 

“Are you ready to go?” They'd been prepared for this for awhile, and Matt had fought every step of the way. From the tension in Chirrut's stance, he fully expected another argument. 

“I want to stay and fight.” Matt breathed steadily, trying to shield his emotions. If he could stay calm and mature, Chirrut might just relent. 

“You can't. A lot of us aren't going to make it out. You aren't a Guardian, and you aren't in the Empire database. If you leave, you'll be safe.” 

Where will I go? What can I do? Matt thought. Everything and every one he knew was here. 

“I'm not afraid.”

Chirrut sighed. “I know. But I can't let you give your life away for this.” 

A piercing alarm began to sound, and Baze re-entered the room. “Ready?” 

“Almost.” Chirrut was audibly upset. “Come on, Matt.” 

Matt grabbed his staff. There was a pit of lead in his stomach, and his heart was hammering in his chest. Acknowledge it, then release it to the Force. He tried. The feeling was too close, too choking. He pushed it down instead. 

When he came back out to the main room, Chirrut and Baze had their weapons and were prepared for battle. 

“Come on.” Baze’s voice was thick with emotion. 

They went out into the hall, and down into the oldest part of the Temple. Matt had a vivid memory of learning to meditate here with Chirrut, back when he had still been living with Altais. 

Matt was suppposed to sneak out through an ancient tunnel, and escape into the city before the Stormtroopers reached the innermost parts of the Temple. He was the only non-Guardian left at the Temple --- the others, especially the children, had been sent away long ago. 

When they reached the spot where Matt was supposed to enter the tunnel, Chirrut and Baze pulled him suddenly into a hug. “Force be with you,” Chirrut said, voice determinedly steady.

“And with you,” Matt replied in a similar tone. 

“Be safe.” 

The sound of boots on pavement could be heard from outside. Chirrut and Baze ran up to fight off the Stormtroopers, while Matt tried to ignore the sounds of the battle he'd already heard in his dreams. 

0 BBY

Matt and Foggy entered the barracks together, both exhausted after the chaos of the last couple days. Between the kidnapping of the Princess, the Battle of Yavin, and the aftermath of the Death Star, they'd barely left the command room, as far as Chirrut could tell.

“You okay?” Foggy asked Matt. From what Chirrut had surmised, he was also a native of Jedha. Though his family had lived on the main planet, NaJedha, for a while now, he knew what Jedha meant to Matt. 

“Yeah.” Matt was far from okay. Chirrut barely even needed to sense his emotions to know that, and he was willing to bet that Foggy could see it in his face. 

“Do you want to go get food?” 

“No, thanks.” There was something strange now in Matt’s voice. Chirrut wondered if Matt could sense his prescence. 

“Do you want me to stay?” 

“No, you go if you want to.” Matt sounded distracted now. He was definitely sensing something. 

“Alright. I'll be back eventually.” 

As soon as Foggy left, Chirrut called to his former apprentice. “Matt.” Matt must have jumped, because there was a crash as he knocked something over. 

“Chirrut?” 

“Hello.” 

“How-how are you here?” Matt sounded slightly skeptical, and Chirrut didn't blame him. It was rare to hear of Force-Users being able to contact the living after death, and even rarer to be visited by a departed being. 

“I'm one with the Force now. I can still make contact with the living world.” 

“Is it permanent?” 

“Death? Yes, I think so.” 

“You know what I mean.” Matt let out something that was slightly too dark to be a laugh. 

“I don't know. But for now, I can cross over sometimes.” 

“Is Baze with you?” Matt asked quietly. 

“Yes, he is. He said to say hello to you.” Chirrut had been relieved to find himself with Baze in the afterlife. All beings became one with the Force when they died, but he hadn't known if non-Force-sensitive beings maintained their conciousness after death. 

“I'm sorry. I should have been able to stop what happened to Jedha.” Matt had that note in his voice, the one where he thought that all the galaxy’s problems were somehow his fault. 

“Wait, what? How were you supposed to do that?” 

“I had warning --- about five minutes before it happened, I got a premonition.” 

“What were you supposed to do in five minutes? Did you even know what it was?” 

“No, but ---”

“And no one here even knows that you have the Force. It would've been pretty suspicious if you just went in and told them that the Empire was going to use some kind of death laser on Jedha.” 

“I guess.” Matt didn't sound wholly convinced, but he seemed to be coming out of his guilt spiral. 

Chirrut heard foosteps approaching the door, so he spoke quickly. “I don't know when or if I'm going to be able to contact you again. I just want you to know that we're watching over you, and we're proud of you.” 

“Thanks.” Matt’s voice sounded distant and far away, and Chirrut felt himself fade back into the Force.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from here: http://daredevilkink.dreamwidth.org/8423.html?thread=17549287#cmt17549287
> 
> Thanks to @luminousfinn on tumblr for the title!


End file.
